Winding or hauling apparatus for mines and the like.



No. 806,857. PATENTED DEC. 12, 1905.- E. G. WBLDON.

WINDING OR HAULING APPARATUS FOR MINES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.21, 1905.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

EDWIN GEORGE WELDON, OF JOHANNESBURG, TRANSVAALa WINDING OR HAULINGAPPARATUS FOR MINES AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1905.

Application filed January 21, 1905. Serial No. 242,150-

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, Enwn'v GEORGE WEL- DON, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, residing at Johannesburg, in the Colony of the Transvaal,have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to Winding orHauling Apparatus for Mines and the Like, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention has reference to winding, hauling, or hoistingapparatus for mines and the like. In some arrangements of this kind ofapparatus it is customary to employ a main engine for performing thework of raising the minerals from the mine and for raising and loweringthe equipment or material required in the mining operations 1 and toprovide an additionalor auxiliary e11- gine or engines for raising andlowering the minersand other workers, said auxiliary engine or enginesalso being available for general hauling when not otherwise in use. Withsuch an arrangement it is usual to pass the hauling-ropes from thedifferent engines over different sheaves which run on a common shaft inthe head- 'ear.' Now with such an arrangement it wil be understood thatin the event of the overwinding of the skip or cage by the main engineand as a conseuence the head-gear or pulley-wheel being damaged (whichis a by no means infrequent occurrence) should the man-hoist be in useit will fall some distance down the shaft owing porting-rope passesbeing carried away and the occupants be in all probability killed or atleast seriously injured. It is also well known that fatal accidents haveoccurred to mine-workers who have been waiting at the surface at themouth of the shaft to descend the mine owing to falling timbers, 850.,when overwinding has taken place. This overwindin when it occurs alsocauses very considerabIe damage to the winding or hauling engines andmine equipment. In case of overwinding and the rope breaking withoutdamage resulting to the head-gear then the skip is precipitated down theshaft with consequences almost equally serious to those alreadymentioned.

The object of my invention is to obviate this possible loss of life andserious damage in the event of overwinding; and it consists,essentially, in providing above the tipper or or cages in the head-gear(where such tipping or dumping arrangement is provided) rails or a trackwhich pass over or above the pulley-wheel in the head-gear and arecontinued in the direction of and preferably enter the engine-house orparallel with the direction of the pull of the hauling-rope, so that theskip or cage is able to pass over or above the pulley-wheel in thehead-gear without any damage being sustained by the latter. Brakemechanism is provided at that portion of the track between the head-gearand the engine-house, so that the skip or cage is subjected to apowerful braking action which tends to arrest its movement between thehead-gear and engine-house. An arrangement is also provided in aconvenient position in relation to the drum of the windingengine tobrake or arrest the movement of the skip or cage in order to prevent anydamage being sustained by the engine.

My invention further provides a wider range for haulingthat is to say,it will allow the skip or cage to be raised to a higher point in thehead-gear than with existing arrangements without damage resulting, sothat a slight overwinding of the skip or cage above the tipper will notresult in the headgear, pulley-wheel, or shaft being carried away or thebreaking of the hauling-rope 85 and precipitation of the skip down theshaft, as at present.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I append hereto anexplanatory sheet of drawings marked with numerals of 0 referencecorresponding to the following description thereof.

Figure 1 represents the application of my invention to a typicalarrangement of mine head-gear and engine-house; and Fig. 2 rep- 9resents a transverse section of the track provided for the skip or cagebetween the headgear and engine-house, illustrating the means of brakingthe skip or cage in its passage between these points.

The winding plant may be of any ordinary or suitable construction, and,if desired, a tipper may be provided located in the usual manner in thehead-gear and adapted to incline or invert the skip or cage as it israised :05

in the head-gear to dump the load or contents of the skip or cage.

In the drawings, 1 represents the general arrangement of the head-gear,and 2 repre- 5 device for dumping the contents of the skips sents therails or guides, between which the 110 wheels of the skip or cage 3 run,and 4 represents the tipper in which the skip 3 is inclined or invertedto dump the load. The skip 3 is shown in dotted lines in the position inwhich it traverses the rails 2 as it passes up and down the shaft, andit is also shown in dotted lines in the position it assumes in thetipper 4. In the former position the bridle 5 of the skip 3 spans theskip-body, while in the latter position it precedes or is raised abovethe body of the skip.

The rails or guides above the tipper 4 are continued upward in the formof a double track or comprising the two parallel sets of rails 6 7, oneset at either side of the skip 3, up and along which track the skip 3 ishoisted in the event of overwinding. The track 6 7 is carried round orabove the pulley-wheel 8 in the top of the head-gear 1 and made of asuitable curve to allow the skip 3 to pass and be guided over the top ofthe pulleywheel 8 in the event of overwinding. The skip 3 is shown indotted lines in the position it assumes as it is being hauled up overthe pulley-wheel 8. The track 6 7 is then continued from the top of thehead-gear 1 in the direction of or parallel with the pull of thehauling-rope 9 to a suitable position. In the drawings I illustrate thetrack continued from the top of the head-gear 1 or pulley 8 to the frontof the winding-drum 10 of the main hauling-engine, which is located inthe engine-house 11.

12 represents the drum of the man-hoist or auxiliary engine, which isusually located at the front of the main engine. The termination of thetrackis above the auxiliary engine, so that in the event of overwindingthe skip 3 does not come into contact with said auxiliary engine, as atpresent. That portion of the track between the head-gear 1 orpulley-wheel 8 and the engine-house 11 also preferably consists ofbottom and top rails 13 14, which serve to prevent the skip or cage 3leaving the track in its passage down the gradient or incline from thepulley-wheel 8 to the engine-house 11. The drawings depict the mostcommon arrangement of headgear and engine-house, in which cases thetrack from the top of the head-gear to the engine-house is inclineddownward, so that the track can, as previously explained, be supportedabove any auxiliary engines that may be located in the engine-house infront of the main engine or between the main windingengine and thehead-gear. It will be evident that the track from the headgear to or inthe direction of the engine-house may be otherwise arranged and beconstructed to guide the skip or cage over any auxiliary engine orengines should overwinding take place to obviate damage to said engineor engines.

The bottom rails 13 of the track rest on transverse members 15, carriedby rectan gular frames 16, which are secured to longitudinal timbers 17,supported by the struts or timbers 18fro1n the timbers 19 of theheadgear 1.

To provide for the braking of the skip or cage 3 in its passage alongthe inclined track between the head-gear 1 and engine-house 11 the toprail 14 at each side of the track is constructed to apply a brakingaction on all the wheels of the skip 3. This is effected by constructingthe upper or top rails 14 to move toward or away from the bottom orfixed rails 13, springs 20 being arranged above the rails 14 to pressthem in a downward direction toward the fixed rails 13. As shown in Fig.2, this is effected by fixing between the rectangular end frames 16angle-irons 21, parallel with the track, and in employing angle-ironsfor the upper and movable rails 14.

To the upper rails 14 are fixed bolts or' screwed rods 22, which latterproject through holes in the angle-irons 21, spiral springs 20 beingarranged on the bolts or screwed rods 22 between the angle-irons 21 andthe angleiron rails 14, sothat the rails 14 are forced down with therequisite pressure by the springs 20 in the direction of the fixed rails13. Nuts 23, screwed onto the bolts 22 above the angle-irons 21, servefor preventing the rails 14 moving too far in a downward direction andfor supporting the rails 14 in their normal position. In the drawingsthree separate frames 16 are shown for carrying the upper and movablerails 14; but it will be obvious that these frames may be carried thefull length of the track between the head-gear 1 and engine-house 11, ifpreferred. The movable rails 14 in normal position are held closer tothe stationary rails 13 than the rails 2 or so that the wheels of theskip 3 in passing along the track between the headgear 1 andengine-house 11 must raise the top rails 14 for some distance againstthe pressure of the springs 20, which latter supply the braking actionthrough the medium of the top rails 14. The skip 3 is shown in dottedlines between the head-gear 1 and enginehouse 11, and the top rails 14are shown in the position tov which they are raised by the skip-wheels.The end 24 of the movable rails 14 where the wheels of the skip enterthe track are curved outward or upward to direct .the wheels between therails 13 14.

Although I prefer to make the top and movable rails 14 in one piecebetween the pulley-wheel 8 and the bottom of the track, as illustrated,it will be evident that they may be made in sections, and between eachsection there may be provided a non-movable section. With thisconstruction the ends of each of the movable sections will be turnedupward to allow the wheels to pass between the rails. The springs 20 areof such a strength that they offer considerable resistance to thepassage of the skip 3 along the .track between the head-gear 1 andenginehouse 11, so that it will become evident to the driver that theskip 3 has been hauled over the pulley-wheel 8 and is moving down thetrack toward the engine-house 11.

The track is preferably arranged to enter the engine-house 11 above andin front of the drum of the main winding-engine. At the end of the trackI arrange a further brake mechanism which is constructed so that it willstop any further movement of the skip 3 should it by any possible chancebe hauled to that point. In the drawings this brake mechanism is shownconsisting of springs 25, placed between the lower and up per rails 1314 of the track, and plates 26 in front of the springs 25, which engagethe wheels of the skip 3 just before they reach the end of the track. Inthis section of the track both the upper and lowerrails 14 13 may bemade stationary and the upper portion 14 be turned upward, as shown at27, to allow the wheels to enter the rails and the two rails 13 14 bestayed by means of astrengthening-piece 28. The springs are verypowerful and offer great resistance to further movement of the skip 3.The skip 3 is shown in dotted lines at the end of the track, with thewheels engaging the plates 26. I In this position the end of the bail 5is a short distance from the periphery of the winding-drum 10. Insteadof the arrangement shown I may employ a plate arranged from side to sideof the track, working against powerful bufiersprings and adapted toengage the front of the bridle or the bottom of the skip, as may bepreferred.

To facilitate the return of the skip or cage 3 to the head-gear 1 of theshaft in the event of overwinding, I preferably provide a movable trackbetween the engine-house and the head-gear, so that the skip can be runofi the track onto the movable track and be hauled by the hauling-ropeto and passed into the head-gear at the point ordinarily provided forchanging the skips. I

29 represents the return-track, carried by a temporary or permanentframework 31, which track 29 at the one end runs into the bottom rails13 of the track between the pulley-wheel 8 and the engine-house 11.

32 is a point or hinged portion of the bottom rail 13, which is raisedinto the position shown in dotted lines when the skip 3 is to be run outof the track 13 onto the returntrack 29.

A small pulley 33 is provided in a suitable position in the head-gear1', round which the hauling-rope 9 is passed from the pulleywheel 8 tobe attached to the skip 3 to haul it along the return-track 29.

is the hinged or pivoted section of the guides or rails in. thehead-gear 1, through which the skip passes between the guides or rails2.

To return the skip 3, the hauling-rope 9 is skip 3.

detached from the bridle 5 and passed over the pulley-wheel 8 in the topof the headgear 1 in the ordinary way, then down and round the smallpulley 33, and attached to the bridle 5, the latter having been firstturned to its position round the body of the The points 32 are thenraised and the skip 3 hauled along the return-track 29, as is shown indotted lines in Fig. 1.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to protect by Letters Patent,is

1. In winding or hauling apparatus of the nature specified, thecombination with the head-gear and pulley-wheel round which thehauling-rope passes, of a track for the skip or cage passing over saidhead-gear and pulley, and connections for drawing said skip or cage pastsaid parts as far as desired and freely thereof, substantially asdescribed.

2. In winding or hauling apparatus of the nature specified, thecombination with the head-gear and pulley-wheel, round which thehauling-rope passes, of a track for the skip or cage passing over saidhead-gear and pulley and extending in the direction of the pull of thehauling-rope, and connections for drawing said skip or cage past saidparts as far as desired and freely thereof, substantially as described.

3. In winding or hauling apparatus of the nature specified, thecombination with the head -gear, pulley-wheel and the rails or guidestraversed by the skip or cage as it ascends and descends the head-gear,of an extension of said guides or rails passing over or round thepulley-wheel for the hauling-rope, said extension serving to guide theskip clear of the pulley-wheel, and atrack from said extension. in thedirection of the pull of the hauling-rope, and means for braking theskip as it traverses said track, substantially as described.

4. In winding or hauling apparatus of the nature specified, thecombination with the head-gear, pulley-wheel and rails or guidestraversed by the skip or cage as it ascends and descends the head-gear,of an extension of said guides or rails passing over or round thepulley-wheel for the haulingrope, said extension serving to guide theskip clear of the pulley-wheel, and a track from said extension in thedirection of the pull of the hauling-rope, said track comprising lowerand fixed rails and upper and movable rails, and means for forcing thelatter toward the fixed rails to apply a braking action on the wheels ofthe skip, substantially as described.

-5. In windin or haulin apparatusof the nature specifie the com inationwith the head-gear, pulley-wheel and rails or guides traversed by theskip or cage as it ascends and descends the head-gear, of an extensionof said guides or rails passing over or round the pu1ley-wheel for thehauling-rope, said extension serving to' guide the skip clear of thepulley-wheel, and a track from said extension in the direction of thepull of the hauling-rope, said track comprising lower and fixed railsand upper and movable rails, frames carrying said movable rails andsprings arranged in the frames above the upper rails, which force themovable rails in the direction of the fixed rails to apply a brakingaction to the wheels of the skip as it passes along the track,substantially as described.

6. In winding or hauling apparatus of the nature specified, incombination, the headgear, pulley-wheel and rails or guides which aretraversed by the skip as it ascends and descends the head-gear,extensions of said guides or rails, which extensions pass over or roundthe pulley wheel and serve to guide the skip above and clear of theheadear and pulley-wheel and a track from sai extensions in thedirection of the pull of'the haul ing-rope, said track comprising lowerand stationary rails carried by a framework and upper and movable railscarried by said framework, a framework and members parallel with thetrack, springs between said members and upper and movable rails whichoperate to force the movable rails toward the lower and stationary railsto apply a braking action to the wheels of-the skip as it traverses thetrack, substantially as described.

7. In windin or hauling apparatus of the nature specified, incombination, the headgear, pulley-wheel and the rails or guides andtipper, extensions of the guides or rails curved round the pulley-wheel,a track comprising lower and stationary rails and upper I and movablerails, frames carried by the head-gear supporting said track, memberscarried by said frames, bolts attached to the movable rails forsupporting said rails from the fixed members and springs located on therods or bolts between the movable rails and the supporting members,which rods and springs allow the movable rails to move to ward or fromthe lower and stationary rails so that the springs exert a brakingaction on the wheels of the skip through the top rails in the event ofoverwinding, substantially as described. 1

8. In winding or hauling apparatus of the nature specified, thecombination with the head-gear, pulley-wheel and rails or guidestraversed by the skip or cage, of an extension of said guides or railspassing round the pulley-wheel for the hauling-rope, said extensionsserving to guide the skip over the headear and above the pulley-wheel,and a track from said extensions comprising upper and lower rails andmeans for braking the skip as it traverses said track and means forarresting the movement of the skip when it reaches the end of the track,substantially as described.

9. In winding or hauling apparatus of the nature specified, thecombination with the plates in front of the springs adapted to be ittravels along said track, means for arresthead-gear, pulley-wheel andrails or guides traversed by the skip or cage, of an extension of saidguides or rails passing round the pulley-wheel for the hauling-rope,said extensions serving to guide the skip over the headear and above thepulley-wheel, a track rom said extensions comprising upper and lowerrails and means for braking the skip as it travels along said track,said means comprising springs located between the upper and lower railsat the end of the track and engaged by the wheels of the skip,substantially as described.

10. In winding or hauling apparatus of the nature specified, thecombination with the head-gear, pulley-wheel and rails or guidestraversed by the ski or cage, of an extension of said guides or rai spassing round the pulley-wheel for thehauling-rope, said exten sionsserving to guide the skip over the headgear and above the pulley-wheel,a track from said extensionscomprising upper and lower rails and meansfor braking the skip as ing the movement of the skip at the end of thetrack, a return-track between the track from the head-gear and thehead-gear for returning the skip to the rails or guides inthe head-gear,substantially as described.

1 1. In winding or hauling apparatus of the nature indicated, incombination, the headgear and the pulley-wheel for the haulingrope andthe rails or guides for the skip, of a tipper or means for dumping thecontents of the skip, a track above the ti per passing round thepulley-wheel along which the skip may pass from the tipper above theheadgear, and a track from which the skip may pass from the track abovethe pulley-wheel, means for applying a braking action to the skip as itpasses along said track, means for arresting the movement of the skip atthe end of said track and a return-track for passing the skip into theguides or rails in the head-gear, substantially as describedr 12. Inwinding or hauling apparatus of the nature specified, in combination,the headgear and the pulley-wheel and guides or rails, of the skipadapted to traverse said guides or rails, the tipper for dumping thecontents of the skip, a track above said tipper passing round thepulley-wheel along which the skip may pass after it leaves the tipper inthe event of overwinding, the track to which the skip may pass from thetrack above the tipper, said track comprising the bottom or stationaryand top and movable rails, the frames carrying said stationary rails andangle-irons parallel with the track, bolts fixed to the movable railspassed through said longitudinal members, springs on said bolts betweenthe longitudinal members and the rails for forcing the movable railstoward the fixed rails, nuts on the bolts for supportng the movablerails, the springs in the ends )f the track and the plates in front ofthe iprings for engaging the wheels of the skip at he end of the trackand in front of the windng-drurn of the engine, points or hinged porionsof the lower rails, the return-track and be small pulley in thehead-gear over which he hauling-rope is passed to haul the skip tlongthe return-track, substantially as delQIibGd and shown.

13. In a winding or hauling apparatus of he nature specified, the"combination with he head-gear and pulley round which the iauling-ropepasses, of a track for the skip r cage passing over said head-gear andpuley, connections for drawing said skip or cage )ast said parts as faras desired and freely hereof, and a yielding resistance which pernitsthe overriding travel of the skip or cage, ubstantially as described.

14. In a winding or hauling apparatus of he nature specified, thecombination with he head-gear and pulley round which the iauling-ropepasses, of a track for the skip or cage passing over said head-gear andpill-- ley, connections for drawing said skip or cage past saidhead-gear and pulley as far as desired and freely thereof, and a yieldinresistance pressing upon opposite sides 0 the car and permitting theoverriding travel of the skip or cage, substantially as described.

15. In winding or hauling apparatus of the nature specified, thecombination with the head-gear and pulley round which the hauling-ropepasses, of a track for the skip or cage passing over said head-gear andpulley and extending down an incline in the direction of pull of thehauling-rope, and a switch for directing the skip or cage from saidtrack to a lower track, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

EDWIN GEORGE WELDON.

Witnesses OHAs. OVENDALE, R. OVENDALE.

